Clients Last Name Goes Here 1 The Significance of the Double-Headed Eagle in Scottish Rite Freemasonry Symbolism and

Mythology These were the immortals to whom the term phoenix was applied, and their symbol was the mysterious two-headed bird, now called an eagle, a familiar and little understood Masonic emblem (M.P.Hall, 1976, 108). The following essay offers a short insight into the ancient history and multi-rooted origins of the double-headed eagle, which has been used worldwide for centuries and is now one of the most if not the most important and recognizable symbols of the 31st-33rd degrees of Scottish Rite Freemasonry. Many cultural references and a lot of historical evidential materials may indicate that there is probably no other heraldic emblem like the double-headed eagle in terms of its antiquity and significance. In order to clearly understand from whence it came into the Freemasonic symbolism we must, first of all, make sure we trace its history all the way back to the dawn of Eastern Civilization. That is necessary because despite the fact that nothing in Scottish Rite Freemasonry is directly influenced by the rituals of Hittites or Chaldeans, yet one might claim with a fair degree of confidence that this double-headed bird of storm and thunder owes its meaning to Asia Minor and its latter contacts with European civilization through warfare and trade with the Turks (Parker A.C., 1983). Often being referred to as the Eagle of Lagash, the Masonic eagle, indeed, in many ways resembles the sacred emblem of this long-gone Sumerian city on the Tigris River. Five thousand years ago, the double-headed eagle under the name of Imgig (often depicted with the head of a lion) indicated the majesty and power of Ningersu and Enlil (or under some other speculations Ningersu and his wife, Bau), who are considered to be the patron deities of

Clients Last Name Goes Here 2 Mesopotamia. This inseparable unity of the Sun God and the Storm God designated the holy equality between them worshipping one of them implied equally respectful tribute to the other. Almost identical meaning had been carried by the eagle of two heads across the lands of Hittites, Hindoos, Indians of America and Arabians. It was called by many different names and variously conventionalized; however, all of them bore similar significance within them the union of solar and celestial forces. As a protective symbol, the eagle was popular in early periods of Chaldean culture, but then all traces of it fade and emerge only a little later in the art of the Hittites to the north-east of Assyria. Afterwards, the eagle was used by the Turcs who passed it on to the Crusaders. Christianity often depicts the two-headed bird in, for instance, its architecture window ornaments, in particular. Prophet Elijah is often depicted with the eagle perched upon his shoulder, which may be explained as a double portion of grace bestowed upon this prophet. This image was also widespread in the Byzantine Empire, though chronologically it would be reasonable to assume that the Hittites used it before the Byzantines did. Long before the proclamation of Yahweh as God of Israel (the God who Strives (Parker A., 1983)) and replacement of all preceding deities by the single God, no palace or temple of the Hittites could be built without the engravings of the majestic bicephalous bird. Two heads were also a perfect metaphor for the geographical location of the Roman Empire, which occupied large areas of both Western and Eastern worlds. The shreds of the disrupted Empire inherited its imperial symbol and, through the years, one could spot it on the arms and seals of England, Austria, Serbia, Poland, France, Russia and Germany. One of the Roman Empires heirs was Prussia, which for a long time had been opposing the two great empires Austrian and Russian and fought them for the right to preserve its sovereignty and also to use the double-headed eagle as its royal emblem. As stated by unknown authors among

Clients Last Name Goes Here 3 the Order in the Great Constitution of 1786 and acknowledged later by the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite in Canada, it was King of Prussia Frederick the Great who appointed the eagle of two faces, topped with the golden crown of Prussia, as the image embroidered on the Standard of the Order. Many members of the Order believe that King Frederick was the first and highest patron of Masonry. It is also considered that within this particular Rite the symbol has been inherited from the Order of the Royal Secret, established in 1761 under a patent from authorities of the French Masonry better known as the Council of the Emperors of East and West. Furthermore, on account of the eagles meaning, multiple explanations had been given heraldic, alchemical and somewhat fantastic (opponents of Freemasonry recognize this image as something pertaining to occultism, witchcraft and black magic in general). A symbol of such complexity should be analyzed in layers. Proper analysis should start with the meaning of an eagle himself. Embedded in swords and seals of royal personas, its noble head represents an aristocratic and gracious ruler, spreading its protective wings, covering his nation. Much like an oncoming storm of justice, its soaring flight serves as a reminder to everyone that its watchful eyes and sharp talons bring punishment to evil. As to the association of the double-headed eagle with the Phoenix - immortality and wisdom of the Phoenix had been recognized by the Freemasons (as well as all occultists) as a perfect analogy for Born again, which is something of a second name for newcomers adopted by them upon the entry to the brotherhood. Perhaps the most interesting, bright and full explanation for this part of Masonic symbolism can be seen in alchemy art that blended with science. Alchemical studies were sometimes considered as magical or occultist, but, in fact, they belonged to spagyric arts developed under the patronage and egis of Hermes Trismegistus, the figure representing

Clients Last Name Goes Here 4 amalgamation of two Lords the Lord of Writing (Greek God Hermes) and the Lord of Magic (Egyptian God Thoth). According to Joseph Campbell: The aim of the alchemists was to achieve not a terminal perfection but a process ever continuing, of which their stone, the lapis philosophorum, should become at once the model and the catalyst: a process whereby and wherein all pairs of opposites eternity and time, heaven and hell, male and female, youth and age should be brought together by something midway between perfected and unperfected bodies. (Waite A.E., 1893) It was one of the alchemists main postulates that the Philosophers Stone (Elixir) consists of two opposites united in order to create the third thing perfection itself. Chemically it was supposed to be obtained from applying intense heat or fire to a combination of rather common and natural substances - sulphur, mercury and salt. Sulphur was a purifying agent, burning away the dross of the first matter and, at the same time, symbolizing the ability of a human being to rationalize and analyze itself. Salt was intended to be a preservative element an analogy for storing the material in your subconsciousness, as well as the dormant state of the human mind. Finally, mercury stood for the illuminated state of a persons soul. Based on these analogies and some general knowledge, we might assume that these three elements represented three levels of human psychic: salt is the Id, sulphur is the Ego, mercury is the Super-Ego. Furthermore, the double-headed eagle, as a symbol, illustrated the alchemical process of separating certain elements, purifying them and then merging them together a process somewhat comparable to a psychoanalysis of personalitys subconscious elements. Processed through our consciousness, all these aspects come together in harmony in order to reach the perfected and enlightened level of super-consciousness.

Clients Last Name Goes Here 5 Moreover, a fascinating parallel can be drawn between Masonic symbolism and the mythology of Kabbalah, also supported by the opinion of Manly P.Hall. They tend to incriminate that the eagle depicts a union between feminine (passive) and masculine (active) principles. The ancient emblem of equilibrium consisted of an androgynous body surmounted by two heads, one male and the other female, wearing a single imperial crownthis state of perfection is appropriately typified by the two heads of equal dignity (Hall M.P., 1976). In conclusion, based on the above-mentioned facts, we may reckon that while the tau cross, the serpent (25th degree), the sun (28th degree) and St.Andrews cross (29th) are, without a doubt, symbols of highly profound esoteric significance and tend to be quite common outside the Masonic order, yet there is no image more romantic and more ancient than the 30th degree eagle - the symbol of the Great Elected Knight Kadosh or Knight of the Black and White Eagle. Thus, we can merely guess the true meaning and origins of this feathered emblem, whose tail gets lost in the sands of time. Naturally, one heart and two heads can only mean the duality of functions, principles and names merged within a single body. As a tribute to Enlil and Ningersu, heads reflect the union of solar and celestial forces; as a royal crest, they stand for power and dominion, while, as a religious seal, they embody truth and justice. Surely, the spread eagle flying through the centuries has always evoked in humans the feeling of aristocracy and nobility, serving as a universally recognized symbol of our divine nature. However, perhaps the main reason why Freemasonry adopted this symbol as one of the highest is because it represents the process of spiritual perfecting and illumination. That is exactly what the newly accepted brothers get after joining the Order regeneration, balance and enlightenment. They become truly Born again.

Clients Last Name Goes Here 6 References Hall M. P., 1976, The Lost Keys of Freemasonry, Philosophical Research Society Inc; 2nd edition. Parker A.C, 1983. The double headed eagle and whence it came? Published in The Builder Magazine [Online] (updated 24 Sept.2012) Available at: <http://masonicdictionary.com/doubleeagle.html> [Accessed 25 Sept. 2012] Waite A.E., 1893, How that Greatest and Truest Medicine of the Philospher's Stone may be Found and Held, Published by Forgotten Books (2007) [Online] (updated 25 Sept.2012) Available at: <www.forgottenbooks.org/info/The_Hermetic_Museum_1000914626.php> [Accessed 26 Sept. 2012]